L is a masochist
by nemao
Summary: L finally gets a chance to self harm when the team is off.. but Raito walks in.


L whistled a joyful tune and opened the jackknife. This, THIS was worth the wait. There had been so many people around, detectives nonetheless. And he went straight for the good stuff. It hadn't been too difficult when there were just other police men in the hotel, and by being careful, he had managed. But while Raito had been chained to him it was impossible. Now he was free. He pressed the knife to the skin of his sensitive sole and planed out his attack strategy. Raito was suspicious of his extreme clumsiness of late. He had noticed, and his weak excuse of Raito's dead weight throwing off his balance only worked so well. Raito knew something was up, and didn't often miss an opportunity to remark on one of L's new bruises. L dug in the sharp edge and hissed in the pain, he had almost forgotten, the powerful release of addiction satiated. He made a deep cut, deep to make sure this pain would last; he might not get many chances in the near future. Placing them on his feet would ensure that he could feel the pain constantly, and his craving would not return with much haste. This was good. The hotel was quiet, everyone had gone next door to hold an online icpo meeting, and L had obviously not since they were not supposed to be working with him. They would all be kept busy enough. He was here alone, unsupervised, unconstrained. It was not that he was ashamed of his habits, but it would be nearly impossible to keep the investigators following him if they thought he was insane… that reminded him, he took his coffee cup and smashed it on the floor. Then he picked up some of the larger shards and painted the edges with blood from the first cut, now he had an excuse to wear slippers if anyone asked. He returned to his artwork. He was still whistling when Raito came barging in. L stashed the knife in his pocket and smiled at Raito. Completely unsettled, everyone here was so slow, from the point they inserted the key to enter the room, L knew he had at least one or two seconds before they entered. And there were also a few moments before they made their way from the common area to where he was sitting on the bed. Raito was faster. Despite being chained to him for months, L had not been able to gauge Raito's movements like the others because Raito was always encumbered by him. Only this week was he free to move as he wished, and L was surprised, surprised, but not unprepared. Perhaps it was careless to do this in an area that could be entered at any time by any of the team, but e had set it up so that there would be no question of what happened. Raito didn't bother coming to L anyways; he looked around the living room, "what are you looking for, Raito –kun?" L called. Raito turned to see L more clearly. This Is what he wanted, to hide it in plain sight.

"What happened to you?!" Raito asked in concern as he approached.

"I stepped on some glass, I'm fine, what are you looking for?" L held up a particularly bloody shard he had just feigned to pull out of his foot.

" I forgot a file, but its not that important, they dot need it yet, we are still trying to explain our conclusions… the police are having difficulties understanding our reasoning- your reasoning, here , let me help you." Raito took hold of L's mutilated foot and sat down beside the bed with L.

"Hey! No, I'm fine, go back to your meeting, I can do that." L wanted one of them to see the evidence, but this was too much. At any time L had issues with physical contact, but these instances were especially sensitive. That Raito was actually looking analytically at his cuts was surprisingly unsettling.

"This is what you get for always walking around barefoot." Raito wasn't listening. "It looks like you have all of the glass out though, just need to bandage it. These don't look like puncture cuts though, more like slices…" He smiled. L couldn't help it, he pulled away in horror. " …but of coarse, you didn't want me to be this close to you at all." Raito said, slyly. L couldn't get him to let go of his ankle without making it painfully obvious he was trying to escape. He pulled away again, Raito held on. " you wanted someone to see this scene and the bandages on your feet and that would take care of any explanations… the event would disguise itself."

"What are you talking about?" L asked for innocent's sake, knowing the answer, he had been too careless; his addiction had driven him past desperation. Again, he tried to free himself.

" It must be hard." Raito said "…always to be with so many people, no way to get away from the constant supervision… you hid it well, but did you really think I wouldn't notice?" Raito smiled at him, horrifyingly smug.

"I don't know what you mean… look, I'm ok here, like you said, only need to bandage it, so go back and help out the team…"

"No." Raito lost his grin. "You don't give anything away unless you have to, do you? But I know, or at least, I suspected. All that time I was handcuffed at your side, you think I learned nothing? You never passed up an opportunity to hurt yourself." Raito leaned in uncomfortably close to L, who had his back against the bed. Raito kneeled over him, L looked up with a bit of fear in his eyes, and Raito had one of his secrets. If he told the rest, he would be outcast, but he wouldn't do that, it would not be logical… if Raito told the team, L would know that he wanted him out of the way, his Probability of being Kira would rise again, Raito could disguise it, or work to force L to expose himself somehow, but L would know, if word got out, L would know who had orchestrated it, no. Raito had nothing to gain by revealing this to the others… but what was he thinking?

"HEY!" L shouted angrily as Raito plunged his hand into L's pocket, brushing his thigh, Raito pulled out the jackknife, still coloured with L's blood. Well, L was a bit disappointed, scared, and relieved… he didn't exactly know why… seeing his secret so materially manifested in the hands of his possible enemy expelled all logical thoughts of prior moments. "Give that back." He said coldly. This had gone completely wrong, why had it been Raito to walk in, usually Matsuda was sent on gofer missions… Why could it not have been Matsuda? He had counted on Matsuda being the one to return seeking the file he had lifted from the pile, Matsuda in such a hurry to please would check if L was okay, then rush back to the meeting, Raito … why Raito.. unless he had wanted to come back, to spy on L, the indecipherable footsteps creping down the hall, the door being opened so quickly, and now, that look in his eyes… he wasn't saying anything, just staring at L's eyes, holding the knife like something broken, just staring…

"What were you thinking , L?" he leaned in closer, L could feel is breath on his cheek, his ragged, tired voice… ? … "I'm going to stop the bleeding." He backed away to take unshakeable hold of L's foot again. L couldn't move for confusion… but as Raito pushed a square of gauze to his foot, L started up in protest.

"No!..."

"WHAT?" Raito was angry… "I thought you enjoyed pain, L… what is the problem?"

"no, its just, …." L was suddenly regretting his outburst; he couldn't think straight with Raito having so much control over him, he tried in vain to jerk his foot away form the bandage's pressure.

"What is it?" Raito pushed harder, shooting lovely pain up into L's mind. He tried so hard no to drop his head back in pleasure. But he could not control his eyes, they were tearing. Raito peered at him, holding his foot on his lap, it was difficult to get closer to L without letting go. But it looked like he was crying. "What is it?" he was gentler now.

"Nothing, let me do that, you go." Raito looked skeptically at L…

"What, you weren't finished? You want to mutilate yourself more? You need me to be out of the way so you can continue? Screw you! I know why this is so bad, its because you haven't been cutting at your usual pace, that is why you had to get so much pent up carving out in one go. This could have been avoided if you had trusted me." That was it? This was why Raito was so angry? Why he was so aggressively tending L's self injuries? He felt left hurt that L had waited until Raito was gone to cut again, and that was why Raito was acting this way?

"Childish." L said. "You know I suspect you of being Kira, do you really think I would consider showing you any weakness? It does not matter how much I trust you, I cannot trust Kira." Raito smiled and tore the gauze away from L's foot. " Ahnn!" L couldn't help but sigh. "What are you smiling at?" He really did wish Raito would let him go, he hated being so vulnerable…

"You finally admitted it…" Damn… Raito was right, until then L had been careful not to ratify his assumptions, he was cornered now…! He looked away. Raito lost his smile for a furrowed brow, a few seconds of silence passed as he tried to cleanse some of the blood obstructing his view. "Damn! Ryuuzaki! You're going to need stitches!"

"Shit!" L looked at Raito… he had gone too deep. Damn,…

"You see what your suspicious nature has done?" Raito dug into the first aid kit L had laid out beside them. " don't worry, I'm actually really quite good at this."

"WHAT?!?" L struggled again to free himself, he couldn't conceal his reactions to much more pain at the hands of this guy! "No, really, go back, they will need the file, right? I can take care of myself!" Raito must have seen the truth of this, he stood.

"ok, Ryuuzaki." He said, "I'll go take them the file, and then I will be back, and I will take care of YOU." He smiled… it was very demeaning to be smiled at like that by a younger man.

"What? No! Just go, look, ill be fine," what was this? L had been reduced to pleading… Raito took the first aid kit and the file and left…damn, now L could not even fix his own foot if he wanted to. Raito owned him right now. There may be no purpose to reveal his secrets, but the fact that he had the power to do so made Raito dangerous… but perhaps he was right, and L did have issues trusting people… Raito was the best friend he had… if there was anyone he could trust… but trust was one thing, and getting your foot stitched up was another… L was having troubles controlling his reactions… at this rate… he did not know what would happen, he had never been in this type of situation before… other people had caused him pain, he speculated that the way bb had cut him up likely began his own masochism… but this was different from that, he hated bb, but Raito caused him pain while trying to help him, he was actually... unless Kira was planning to manipulate him, causing pain out of friendship. L tried to stand, but putting the other foot down was a definite no. He didn't feel like getting blood everywhere, but he had to find the first aid before Raito got back, however good his intentions were, Raito had already come dangerously close to .. to what? L did not know, but the moment Raito grabbed his ankle, and then leaned over him, and pushed his hand in his pocket, and then hurt his foot while fixing it… there was a strange feeling. He felt like e could not trust him; he had to fix himself before Raito returned. But no matter where he hopped in the hotel suite, there were no first aid kits… the one he had was the only one, Raito had taken it with him! What was he gong to do?

Raito returned to find L rifling in the bathroom cabinets. He didn't bother to look up, he knew who it was, and he knew that he could not disguise what he was looking for. He expected Raito to smirk and wait for L to return to him, and so he was surprised when Raito grabbed him and lifted him, bridal style back to the bedroom,

"I'm going to state the obvious here and tell you to put me down" said L, struggling. Raito set him beside the bed again and kneeled at his feet again, and opened the first aid again, and got out a needle and thread, clumsy tools, but effective.

"I told them you broke a coffee cup and cut your foot." Raito said while working, L could hardly hear the words… he tried to wrestle with Raito to avoid his touch, but Raito only had to twist his foot to turn him onto his stomach and sit on the back of L's knees and immobilize him again… this was even worse. Normally, he could best Raito in a fight, but he was being wracked with weakness every time Raito touched his cuts… Raito continued working. "I told them I was going coming back to make sure you were okay, and maybe give you stitches, because it looked pretty bad." he jabbed the needle in again.

"Ah guhnn!..."L moaned. He couldn't keep it in anymore; he had to distract himself… "Why would you do that? Protect me I mean."

"What would I gain by turning you in?" ah, so he had thought about this as well… suspicions rising… almost as if he knew what L was thinking, Raito Jabbed the needle in violently.

"haaaah!" L gasped.

"What?" Raito had the nerve to ask so innocently… "Look, Ryuuzaki, you think I really care? I don't. All I care about is that you waited so long out of mistrust, and now you could have really hurt yourself! And this is… damn, Ryuuzaki, I though you would have a relative tolerance for pain… what's wrong?" L dug his fingers into the carpet, moaning in definite not discomfort…

"Don't act so naïve!" he spat over his shoulder, and shuddered as Raito tied the last stitch. Then L let his forehead drop to the floor as Raito got the binding ready to finish his work.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said as he pulled the white bandage tightly around L's foot. "I don't understand why you wouldn't let me fix your cut anyways, a fine job you could have done from your angle. But you should know that, whether you trust me or not, I'm going to want to help you." He packed the first aid kit again and rose, L, free, got to his feet slowly, Raito did do a very good job, he thought bitterly that I would likely heal in no time… together they cleaned up the coffee and broken cup, "I guess you don't need this anymore" said Raito. As they gathered the shards… "Oh yeah" L was walking back into the common area when Raito shoved his hand into the pocket of his baggy jeans. L gasped and froze. Without taking his hand away, Raito said into L's shoulder, "I want you to cut as much as you damn well please, don't you dare let this happen again!" L swallowed nervously. "And I want you to tell me, that you will let me take care of you next time… 'cause I know you enjoyed it, you pervert!" Raito walked away, L was too stunned to follow. He placed his own hand inside his pocket, the knife was returned.

Three and a half hours later the team entered the rooms again. L was sitting in his chair at the dinning table, working on surveillance tapes… he did not seem to notice their arrival, but Raito saw L's left foot being hastily pulled up onto the chair. That must have hurt him, but he was not likely ready for the others, or Raito to see the bandage. L's refusal to obey his childish pride and cut it off showed at least minimal reverence for his friend's orders. The truth was that Raito was secretly disappointed that L had conceded defeat so easily… but perhaps there was more game to come. The chief commented briefly about accident, and Matsuda asked if he was really okay, and if he really did get stitches, and how could he trust Raito so much? L hummed his noncommittal responses. Inwardly he was completely unnerved. He didn't trust himself to make any verbal reciprocation that would not give away his temporarily distorted mindset. He worked in silence, half expecting Raito to approach him and gloat, making things awkward around the others… but that was only paranoia talking, Raito would not … he would wait until his assumption of dominance could be complete. Something that L would not let happen… he needed to plan.

Plan for what? The past four hours had passed with out remark or progress form anyone… and they were starting to leave… L had wanted to leave for hours, but it would look suspicious if he simply got up and left, he never left early unless he was chasing some lead… and he had none… he also did not know if he was capable of walking without a limp or not, and refused to allow Raito to see until he had perfected an unaffected walk. When everyone had gone, except Raito, who had no family to return to and stayed in the complex most nights, L turned to him to find he was already being watched. He repositioned himself to face the computer again… Raito usually got tired and left before L did, after calling him an insomniac or some other term of endearment… but time passed early morning, and Raito still did not leave to work area… L knew his bed was calling, it was adorable how much Raito needed his sleep. But the guy slumped at the stack of papers and allowed his will power to consume him. Why? What was at stake? L still had not decided on a course of action, this was stupid, he was being distracted, Raito knew, yes, but what could he really do about it? There was nothing… he could not tell the police and tarnish L's name, L might be shunned from the investigation, but he had started alone, and he could still catch Raito if his probability were altered in such a way as to provoke renewed interest… he could not stop him… he had expressed no intentions, but even if he were secretly plotting to arrest L's habits, L was a grown man, and if it came to force, L was the superior fighter… when he was not being manipulated by kind pain anyways… L prayed that Raito had not come to that conclusion… but the truth was obvious… "pervert" Raito had said… he knew… he knew how to control L, and that was terrifying!

Still lost in these thoughts, L hesitated on the verge of simply getting up and leaving, gambling that it would be that simple… he had actually lowered his right, undamaged foot when he felt something warm on the back of his neck. He turned his head painfully slow. Yes. Raito had made the first move after all, now he could gauge the rules of this game and devise a strategy. His panic ebbed away until he saw the determined face of Yagami Raito inches from his own, and angry! He tried his best to look infuriatingly innocent. The auburn eyes narrowed.

"This is not a game!" Raito said coldly.

"No?" L asked… twisted awkwardly, he could hardly remain still. He put his back to Raito and stretched his arms, and lowered his other foot, making ready to stand.

"No." Raito replied. "Everything has to be a contest for you, doesn't it?" L did not answer, but tried to push the chair backward, freeing himself to get up, readying his escape if things got uncontrolled again. But Raito slammed the chair into the table, driving the wind out of L's chest. He was pinned for the second time that day, and he did not like it at all. He did not react, but placed his hands carefully on he table top. Maybe he could shove the table away and get out… "I couldn't tell you everything before, there was no time…" Raito continued, as if this were a normal conversation… but of coarse, normal conversations were face to face, and not over the back of one person's neck, driving that person nuts with tickling words. L couldn't keep still, Raito sighed and L clamped his hand over his neck, knowing that this was a mistake the moment he moved… Raito was bullying him into showing more weaknesses, this was not good, but really, what harm could this do? L regained some composure. But he stared determinedly at the table, not turning his head the slightest bit. He would find a way out of this as the victor… he would, because Raito was just a kid, no matter how smart and sociable he was, Raito was still only twenty two… a sheltered genius, he knew nothing about L, and he would therefore loose, because L knew everything about Raito. Raito laughed softly at L, helpless before him. He had meant to speak civilly, but L was being stubborn, and he had to admit that he enjoyed these games. Though L always won, nearly humiliating Raito in front of everyone on several occasions, only saving him at the last minute at a pleading gaze from Raito which was the halting signal that L had become the victor once again… L loved these games, perhaps because he needed to feel he had some hold over Kira, even if it was only a suspect… his addiction to power was surprisingly well hidden. "I have some conditions for keeping your secret." Raito whispered almost touching L's neck below the hairline… L dug his nails into flesh to try to distract himself.

"I don't have time for this, Raito-kun." L said calmly, "I am going to sleep now, so please move aside." His politeness caught Raito off guard, L pushed his chair sideways, twisting it around Raito's legs, and stood, and walked painfully normally from the room. A smile lit his face as he heard Raito's voice,

"Hey, are you going to listen or do I have to … damn!" He must have finally realized that in order to barter for L's trust, he had told the others that L had cut himself on the glass, and now the truth would seem like a lie, it was pointless to use that threat… L kept walking until he got to his room. Without even changing, L collapsed onto his bed, this was how it normally went, he would work himself to exhaustion, and then fall into a few nights of normal sleep patterns, not caring about the rest of the world, not caring that a freshly irritated Raito was on the other side of the wall, because he had gotten used to his company, and even in a state of frustration, he could perceive no threat… and there was no threat, only mischief.

Damn, he had uncovered a serious secret that he could have used against L, and his concern for L's safety had driven him to loose it…but the fact that his reputation was still guarded did not prevent this information form containing any value… he could still use the fact that L seemed to be an uncontrolled masochist to his advantage, he had been practically helpless when Raito was in contact with his cut foot earlier… not to mention that he seemed to be ticklish as well… that might come in useful… even if it would cost him later, one small victory was all he wanted, to prove to L that he was not invincible… also that L could trust him… that Raito could hold L in a vulnerable position and protect him out of sheer friendship… no games, Raito needed to show L this.

Twenty Four hours later L woke to his growling stomache. The conflicting results of insomnia and malnutrition raged with in him until he decided to postpone sleep for a while. Cake = better sleep + better dreams. When he returned to his room with the awesome goodness he found himself not alone.

"I thought you were trying to avoid me." Raito said. "I should have known." L wasn't flustered; he sat on the floor and started on the cake.

"Can I help you?" he asked calmly, "Did you have a nightmare or were you just lonely?" Raito glared at him, seated on the edge of the bed, legs crossed like a real gentlemen… except that he was in his boss's bedroom in the middle of the night…L continued to eat as though he were alone. He got half way through the cake before Raito lost it and spoke.

"Ryuuzaki, what happens if you tear your stitches, or you need to change the bandage?" he asked in a hurried voice… the same way he had acted before when he was rushing over to L bleeding on the floor. L pretended to think for a moment.

"Well, I suppose, being an adult, I would have to care for myself…" he said absently. Raito increased the fury in his stare.

"But it would be best, I mean easiest if someone did it for you, considering you are neither contortionist nor doctor." L sighed and shrugged.

"There would be no need if I had already fixed it, for them to interfere." He said.

"But you haven't." Raito said. He had noticed, the bindings on L's foot were the same ones he had applied, which meant that L really was having difficulty and refused to let Raito help him. He stood and walked to tower over L who looked up casually, taking the last bite of his cake. L rose also. It was then that he saw the medical supplies on his still made bed. Without turning to look at Raito L began to walk out of the room, but he still could not move very fast, "No you don't!" Raito said angrily and he grabbed L's waist and dragged him back to the bed, throwing him down triumphantly on his back… that was the worst position he could have placed L in, because before Raito had a chance to take hold of L's foot, L used his right foot (unneeded for balance now) and swung it at Raito's face. Raito went twisting back; L sat up and slid to his feet again,

"You just try to lay a hand on me." He said through his smile… this game was dangerously fun.

"Don't you care?" Raito asked him seriously, stealing L's enjoyment… it was hard to have fun when the kid was so upset. "You could be hurt, I mean really, permanently damaged if you don't care for that properly." He tried desperately to explain… did he not understand that L had been doing this for years, and never had a problem? L lowered his fists and looked clearly at Raito. He was… actually concerned for him… so that aggressive tenderness he had sensed earlier was real. Raito was knocked down by L's acceptance of his words. Maybe… maybe he would let Raito have this one? Or did he count it a victory, making Raito worry, the latter sounded more like truth… L had already won… "Yeah, so I'm worried about you, only because you being alive is evidence in my favor." Raito was still protecting himself. "So, will you back off and let me look at your foot now?"

"No." L just stood there.

"No?"

"No." L turned to leave again. Raito took a step forward.

"you gave me no choice, Ryuuzaki!" he said, and lunged at L, but instead of trying to hold L down, instead of wrestling with him, Raito wrapped his arms around L's waist and dug his fingers gently into his sides. L immediately started clawing at Raito's hands, trying to dislodge them, but his strength was disappearing with the seconds, he couldn't stop the tickling. His whole body shook and twitched silently, Raito was mesmerized by L's weakness- he was curled over Raito's supporting, restricting arms, his legs couldn't hold him up anymore and he pulled Raito into a crouch over him. Jesus, this guy had been reduced to a ball of jerking, panting, reaction to every movement of Raito's fingers in seconds. It was incredible how much control he had over L like this. He gasped, trying to get enough air to speak, to no avail. Raito let up a bit, but kept his hands in place. His chest firmly to L's back, arms wrapped around the kneeling man. L breathed deeply for a few moments before being able to produce speech,

"No." he said weakly. That was it, he repeated, "No…Raito-kun."

"No?" this was an echo, but this time Raito was in control. And his question was patronizing instead of genuine. "Then stop being stubborn and give me your foot." He named his demands. L did not respond, Raito took that as an arrogant admittance of defeat and dragged L to the bed yet again, sitting him on the edge. When he took his hands away, L just flopped over, his elbows on his thighs and panted. Raito sat at L's feet and lifted the left, damaged one… as expected, he met with resistance at first, but L conceded from exhaustion and allowed Raito to unbind his foot. As he tried to pull off the last layer of gauze he found it had stuck, and realized it had partially healed to L's foot, "This is what you get for waiting so long" he said before starting to peel it off, it hurt, it must have hurt. As reward for Raito's efforts, L's breathing sped up again and his toes curled inward. He must have been fighting to show no more reaction than that. L finally just Sighed in defeat and flung himself backwards onto the bed to let Raito finish what he felt he so badly needed to do. He couldn't completely resign himself though, he tried to pretend it was nothing, but as Raito worked the bandage free, his fingers gripped the covers, and his right foot pushed against the floor, raising his entire lower body. "What's with you?" Raito asked.

"Bite me!" L responded. What the hell? That was intelligent. Raito cleaned the cuts with little problem, but as he applied alcohol, L gasped and jerked his foot away. Raito grabbed it again and pushed the alcohol onto it, hard. "auunn!" L bit his tongue and turned his face away. It really was amazing how little L could control himself like this… it was strange, because Raito had hit him before, broken his nose, and nothing like this had happened.

"Ryuuzaki," Raito asked cautiously, "Ryuuzaki!" L grunted in acknowledgement, not trusting himself. "I need to redo a couple stitches. Like I thought, your damn stubborn attitude has torn them." He waited for a response, and received none. "Look," he said with awkward tenacity, "don't bite your tongue off, okay, ill just pretend I don't hear whatever perverted noises you make." He ended with a smile, trying to joke around with L to calm him down and to show him he was not freaked out at the same time.

"Why are you doing this for me?" L's question had stopped Raito before he stabbed his foot. He was still in control, he was going to make Raito say it, he knew, but he wanted to hear it… the bastard!

"Why are you questioning me?" he retorted, and made the first stitch as L moaned lowly, almost hidden, but not quite, "You reacting like that, I know you enjoy this… sicko!" Raito was kidding around in the hopes of dispelling the foreboding atmosphere… but the truth was that L felt invaded, and he was angry, and Raito was already paying for it by being in this position that he could leave anytime. And L knew that only Raito's friendship was keeping him there,

"I asked you first." L said gritting his teeth through the last stitch, though he did not know it and prepared for more to come. But both questions went unanswered and Raito bound L's foot again and stood, L raised himself on his elbows. And they stared at each other… sometimes Raito thought that their entire relationship was waiting for the next tense moment to eclipse the last. He left, he went back to his room without saying a word.

Ten minutes later he heard a knock at his door, normally L just barged in, was he feeling weird after Raito had practically ravaged him? Raito didn't know how L worked, but he was pretty sure that writhing and moaning on the bed was a sign of severe emotional activity… he went to the door, and pulled it open… nope, L had knocked because he was carrying two bowls of ice cream. Damnit! "What the hell is wrong with you? It's like three thirty! Go to freaking bed!" L walked in, paying him no notice except to shove the ice cream at him… Raito knew this was a peace offering… but that did not stop it from being drugged! Paranoid much? He took a bite, and L showed no sigh, it was safe. Raito knew by now that it was better to just play along with L. It made the pain less. L sat on the floor against the wall. And smiled at Raito in a very creepy way that was his most genuine smile, and meant he was truly glad of Raito's company, no matter how drowsy. Hence the sugar. Raito relented and sat beside L for a few minutes of silence. Until L seemed to have an idea.

"Hey, Raito- kun…" he still looked straight ahead, L only made eye contact when it was horribly disturbing for him to do so.

"What?"

"Do you know how to play video games?"

"What? L, I need to sleep! How does that relate to the Kira case?" ha asked in an annoyed tone that he hoped said clearly that he was on the mood for only two things, sleep, or kira hunting.

"Well, I was thinking that I had tried everything else, besides, they help me think, but I need another player."

"Ryuuzaki, you work alone on all your cases, when do you have another person to play video games with you?"

"Your forgetting that I work over the computer and can go anywhere I please on most cases." L replied. "I have a friend or two, you know… and during a really hard case, I go visit them, to bounce ideas off."

"You have friends?!?" Raito asked more offensively than he had meant to… he just couldn't imagine L having a life outside of the kira case,… he realized how absurd that was… his limited view was likely why L always got the best of him. "I mean… you never .. talk ab-"

"One of theme never feels like talking to me unless he has his hands on a video game, so I play whenever I visit, while we talk about the cases… I have been holding onto a new game for him until I saw him again, but I cant go visiting old friends with Kira looking for me, so im stuck without their help…" he looked at the floor, "I need an epiphany on this case." Raito felt pity for L. He was cut off from the few people he knew, he had invested everything in this case, and it was going nowhere. "I have a system on the thirteenth floor, if your interested…" L continued to gaze at the floor, eliciting as much pity as possible until, …

"Yeah, okay, if it will help you think, ill play with you tomorrow." said Raito. L looked up,

"Great! Lets go," and he took Raito's bowl and his own and set them to the side, then jumped up and grabbed Raito's arm, and dragged him out to door before he had recovered enough to protest.

"Hey, Ryuuzaki!" they were in the elevator now. "Hey, it's four in the morning! You can't want to play now!"

"Night is the best time for scary games." L countered as he pulled Raito along the thirteenth hallway.

"Scary?" Raito asked, wondering how frightening a video game could really be… he didn't play them, so he had no freaking idea how kickass awesome they can be!\

"Mmmm, Yes, this one is called Biodome, set under the ocean, supposed to be frightening." L said emotionlessly. "I asked for something a chainsmoking weapons specialist would play."

"Who are these friends of your?" Raito asked.

"When this investigation ends, if you are not Kira, you may meet them." L said Ominously and insultingly and hopefully at the same time.

"Your chainsmoking weapons specialist video game addict friends? I cantt wait." Raito was too tired for sincerety.

"That is only one of my friends," L said.

"Friend have a name?" Raito asked.

"M 2" L said.

"Does that mean there is an M 1?"

"Yes."

"What is he like?"

"Leather and chocolate." L said… so, a psychopath and a fetishist… yeah, that sounded like L's friends.

"I asked you if you knew how to play." L said Accusingly.

"I never answered." Said Raito defensively, he hadn't thought it would have been that hard. L had to give him a full lesson on each command, and was thoroughly amused that Raito was so bad at this.


End file.
